A look at vehicle recycling and sustainability

One of the best options when it comes to decorative materials is recyclable foils. They are fantastic to look at and can have a much smaller impact on the environment than other methods. The key thing here is you can continue to recycle the products you add them to, including card or paper and many plastics. As a result, they save items from going to landfill.

People around the world are doing more and more to recycle and protect the environment. A few changes can make all the difference with day to day waste, including food scraps, packaging, and junk mail. But, it can be harder to look at recycling with larger items like household appliances and vehicles. It can be tough to see what materials are recyclable here.

Vehicle recycling

Recyclable foilsThe vital thing to keep in mind is around 80% of the materials in vehicles can be recycled. This includes metals, glass, rubber, textiles, leather, and several plastics. Even things like fuel, coolant, oil, and wiper fluid can be collected.

What you need to do here is look at the age of the vehicle. Older vehicles will usually feature more ferrous metals (ones that contain iron such as steel). These materials are highly recyclable.

Newer vehicles can sadly be less recyclable. A lot of manufacturers chose to move away from ferrous metals in favour of plastics. They did it because plastic is cheaper and lighter. The latter is important because a reduction in weight can improve fuel efficiency. However, you can’t recycle some types of plastic.

There can also be an issue with some methods of finishing items. For example, if a piece of plastic trim has a spray decorative coating you may not be able to recycle it. However, if the manufacturer uses recyclable foils instead, you can still recycle.

The benefits

Boosting vehicle recycling can provide a wide array of benefits. Most importantly, it is better in terms of sustainability and protecting the environment. If you can recycle parts and materials, it means they don’t go to landfill. Instead, they can find new uses.

A big benefit is you will also save the resources and energy it would take to make new items. Processes to make many vehicle parts are energy intensive and can produce a lot of pollution. If you can recycle more parts from older vehicles, manufacturers don’t need to create as many brand new ones. It can really help the environment and the energy savings could go to other uses.

Used parts and safety

One thing people worry about with recycling car parts is the impact on safety. Some would rather rely on new parts, particularly with things like engines and batteries. While you need to be careful with some items like this, others like fenders, bonnets, door panels, and internal trim can still have a very long lifespan after coming off a vehicle. There should be very little to worry about in terms of safety.

Speak to us about recyclable foils

At Foiling Services we understand the importance of recycling. That is why we stock foils from KURZ that don’t have an impact on it. You can apply them to various items, including vehicle parts such as interior trim, without worry. The foils are so thin that you can still recycle the substrate without additional processes. It won’t have a huge impact on the characteristics and performance of new items.

So, why not get in touch and ask us about recyclable foils? They can help you be much kinder to the environment.